Sometimes, Sinners Deserve Forgiveness
by BlueRegina06
Summary: Jellal finds himself in a compromising position; Erza is missing and Makarov asks him to bring her back safely. Once Erza is found, another problem arises, a problem that will question his strength and stamina, as well as his self-confidence. - Slight OC, swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello and welcome. This is my very first non-yaoi fiction and I couldn't find another more inspiring pair than Jellal and Erza to satisfy my muse's sudden crave for a straight couple.**

**I must warn you that the story may contain a few, tiny spoilers, if you haven't read the manga. Just for this chapter only.**

**I hope you enjoy it. I certainly have a lot of fun writing it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. **

**XXXX**

_"I'm not as strong as you."_

_So you can't live if you're not strong?! That's wrong! Living shows how strong you are!_

Jellal turned on his side, sighing. It wasn't exactly big news that he couldn't sleep. _Come to think of it__, when was the last time he ever slept during all those years?_

He couldn't remember if there was any.

But it didn't matter. If staying awake at nights was any form of punishment, he deserved it.

_"You formed a guild in order to destroy Dark Guilds. That's how you're atoning for your sins! That's what you're prepared to do!"_

He chuckled bitterly, burying his face in the pillow. _She had not changed at all. Seven years gone in Tenroujima and she was still the same._

_Erza Scarlet. The glorious, red haired Titania. The only woman who was able to defeat 100 monsters on her __own__ and still apologize for "taking so long"_.

_The woman he was desperately in love with._

But that was unimportant, insignificant. His existence, let alone his emotions, were a mere hindrance to the magic world, to Erza, to everyone he knew.

Peaking through his barely closed lids, Jellal glanced at the empty room that used to be occupied by two other people.

_Ultear and Meldy. His comrades. The ones who shared the same burden as him._

Ultear was gone though. She sacrificed her whole life to save them all from death. She had finally atoned for her sins and was able to rest in peace, even though her death was devastating, especially for little Meldy who loved her unconditionally. Jellal didn't blame the young, pink haired teenager when she told him she wanted to leave and travel around the world.

Now he was alone. After the Grand Magic Games and the events of Eclipse, he slipped away from the world to wallow in his self-hate all he wanted.

Fairy Tail was back on the top; no other guild dared to challenge them into popularity or power. It had been fun while he secretly was a "part" of them, simply to research about the strange dark magic coming from the Grand Stadium, but it was short lived, much like all the good things in his life.

Jellal sat up and ran a hand through his blue hair, closing his eyes shut. _There was no point in trying to sleep_, he mused in defeat, _I might as well take a walk down the shore.  
_  
Standing up, he grabbed his black coat from the usual place he hung it, covering half of his face with the black hood. _The Council was still after him, even if Doranbalt was theoretically covering up for him. It was not wise to walk around without a cover on his standing out blue hair, let alone that tattoo on his face. _Only two people in the world had this stupid tattoo. Him and_ ... Well, he was not exactly from this world, but Mystogan had it too._

The night was warm, the summer breeze ruffling the hem of his black shirt and making his coat float in the air. _It was so beautiful, so peaceful._

_So contradictory.  
_  
How a person like him, someone so drenched in sin and blood, was allowed to live in such beautiful world anymore? Jellal was unable to wrap his head around it.

The sea was close, he could smell the scent in the air. _It was soothing, comforting and oddly calming._

Taking a left turn, Jellal began walking down the shore closer to the sea, watching the waves gently sloshing forwards and backwards against the blond sand. Sometimes he wished he was just a grain of sand; small, harmless.

Free. Kami knew how much he craved to be free. Free of the shackles of his sin, free to live, free to travel around the world, free to laugh, free to be happy...

Free to love Erza.

_Damn._ She was on his mind again. But there arose the question; did she ever leave his mind?

He deserved none of these. Not after what he did in Tower of Heaven. Not after taking Simon's life like it was nothing, or hurting Milliana, Wally… Jellal grit his teeth in agitation, kicking the sand away from his feet and into the sea.

_Why was he even alive?_

He started walking briskly, without thinking, his feet were taking him where he needed to go. He wasn't sure where this sudden urge had him going, but when he arrived, he understood.

It was that place where he and Erza almost…

The place hadn't changed at all; the sloppy hill was still rocky and slippery as always, those round plants that exploded into milliards of bright lighting balls still growing under the rocks. Jellal allowed himself a small smile. It was extraordinarily beautiful. But what made it more important was the little memory in his treasure box, the only memory he cherished more than his own life.

It was right after the Fairies had returned from Tenroujima, after seven years of silence. Acnologia's disaster had devastated the whole Magnolia, but after a few months, maximum a year, everybody had forgotten about the MIA mages.

Jellal never lost hope that Erza would be alive.

He was right. One of the few things he was ever right about.

There they were, on top of that hill, having this overly emotional conversation. Jellal could recall how tense Erza was while they talked. It killed him. It only meant that Erza was careful around him, her guard up and ready to strike. It meant that she didn't trust him.

_It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were supposed to be friends, comrades… To share all the negative parts of their lives and find comfort in each other's company._

But then, _he_ was there. He was the biggest part of the problem. He had gone and fucked up like this, fucked up his life…

He could recall Erza slapping him across his face. It stung. It burnt. Much like the fearsome glare she was assaulting him with.

_How can you speak so cowardly?!_, she had screamed.

_Because I am a coward. I am afraid of what I am capable of._

"I was never as strong as you are, Erza," he muttered to himself, sitting down on the soft, warm sand. "Nor I will ever be."

Erza had grasped him from the collar, ready to beat him up. But then it happened. They had both slipped and rolled together down this very hill, ending up with Erza on her back and him on top of her.

She had cried. She had cried because she had thought she'd never see him again.

_Wasn't that a reason to be happy?_

Her tears always broke through his defenses. He could recall his heart nearly busting out of his chest when she cupped his face, her eyes hidden behind her long, fiery bangs. Carefully, he had placed his hand on her face, wiping away the tears he had caused. Her skin was so soft, so warm. She was blushing too, her breathing was short and shallow, puffing over his parted lips.

When she began coming closer to him, he couldn't believe it. It felt like a dream, like something… Unapproachable. Yeah. Erza was always like that. She was so perfect, so beautiful, like an angel that had fallen from the sky to make the world go round.

Jellal's world in particular.

She kept coming closer and closer and Jellal thought he'd choke on his heart. She had her eyes closed, her lips parted, waiting, her body soft and warm and then…

Then it was over.

Jellal stared at the ocean impassively, one side of his head chiding him that he'd been a pussy and not kissed the woman of his dreams, the other – the most dominant – was scolding him that he should never even dream about touching her again.

_"I have a fiancé."_

He knew she had seen right through his lie but it didn't matter. As long as she stayed away from him, he was okay. It painfully ripped his heart into pieces but if it was for Erza's sake, Jellal could withstand anything.

_It's getting kind of late,_ he thought while he climbed on his feet. _I should probably get back home before the sun rises.  
_  
He didn't even realize when he got home, his mind was so full of Erza; Erza smiling, Erza laughing, Erza looking at him, brown eyes shimmering with affection...

"Chirp."

Jellal's head snapped up at the small chirping sound, his eyebrows reaching his hairline in astonishment.

_A bird._ There was a messenger pigeon on his bed, staring at him in anticipation.

He walked slowly to the white bird and gingerly picked it up. It flapped its wings nervously the moment he touched it but calmed down after a while, allowing him to look at the small note wrapped around its thin leg.

_What was the meaning of this?_

Frowning, he unwrapped the note from the bird's leg and set the creature free. Curiosity near damn killing him, he opened it hastily and read;

_Mystogan. I need your help,_

_Master Makarov._

Jellal read the curt letter over and over, not quite believing what he was reading. _Fairy Tail's master… Needed his help? Since when? And why?_

Placing the letter on his bed, Jellal slowly sat down on his mattress and stared blankly at the plain, white wall opposite him.

_That did not sound._

**XXXX**

**Jellal is such a kind heart after all, isn't he?**

**I know it is too short, though if I fit too much information in it, it may become quite tiring. I can assure you that there will be more to come. **

**Thanks again for reading. Can I have a review please?**

**- Queen.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter two! Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. **

**XXXX**

Wearing Mystogan's outfit always made Jellal feel at ease. Maybe it was because it made him feel as if was a member of Fairy Tail but mostly it was because it allowed him to blend in with the crowd. Nobody even spared him a second glance as he strolled through the streets of Magnolia, heading towards the other side of the town where the guild's headquarters were.

Jellal's whole face was conveniently covered, hiding that hideous trademark. That stupid tattoo was a curse after all; everyone in the Council or whoever was after him, could recognize him simply from that tattoo. _Let's not mention his blue hair. Who the hell had blue hair?_

Walking towards the guild, he could say that he first _heard_ the guild's members before he saw the building itself. He allowed a small smile. _Kami, just how loud were they?_ Especially the notorious Dragon Slayer, Natsu Dragneel, who was apparently pissed off about something. Again.

"Oi Gray, kuso yarou!", the pink haired Dragon Slayer shouted and from the sound of it, he threw something heavy on the floor, "Where's my meat?! You ate it didn't you?!"

"Shut up, Natsu," the brunet, ice magician said indifferently, "It was D-Roy who ate it. I don't touch your things, they are infected."

Jellal chuckled at the following screams of "You bastard! Say that again!", or "Natsu, don't break the tables!", but then something popped on his mind and had him halting on his tracks, the amusement vanishing from his face.

_What if Erza was there? Was he ready to see her again?_

The answer was obviously no. His entire body ached from love and want for the red haired woman whenever he was at a hundred meters radius away from her.

_Maybe she is on a mission_, Jellal reasoned, crossing all his fingers and toes as he walked through the door of Fairy Tail's castle.

All shouts and fighting stopped at once, as all eyes locked on him. Jellal felt self-conscious, nervous at the very least at those eyes staring at him full of concern and apprehension.

_Mystogan's appearance was never good news. Jellal knew that._

However, he paid no mind at the puzzled faces, his gaze focusing solely on one person a few steps in front of him; Master Makarov. The elder man was sitting on the bar, like he normally did, his features looking worried, occupied. He wasn't even looking at the blue haired man that had just emerged. Jellal felt his muscles stiffen reflexively. _What had happened?_

"Oi, Jellal, you bastard!", Natsu asked loudly from his left, "What are you doing here?"

Jellal ignored the pink haired boy and kept walking towards Master Makarov.

"Oi, asshole! I asked you som-"

"Silence Natsu!"

At the sound of the Master's deep, commanding voice, the otherwise untamable Dragon Slayer backed down, "Tsk"ing indignantly. _I guess nobody here dares to defy the master once the man was serious._

"You asked to see me, Master," Jellal said, the sound muffled by the cloth covering his mouth.

The short, white haired Master looked up, his black eyes hard and cold. Jellal flinched slightly, the awkward sensation of uneasiness suddenly filled him. _What the hell had happened to make the man so angry?_

"Mystogan," he rumbled, "Let's go somewhere more private."

**XXXX**

Once upstairs in the Master's private room, Makarov turned and faced Jellal, his cold eyes giving Jellal the chills. _Even though the old man was tiny, he could exert such authority, such 'listen-or-else' aura. This was one of the reasons why Jellal feared and admired Fairy Tail's master._

"Jellal," the master said, using the blunet's name for the first time, "Do you know where Erza is?"

Jellal's insides instantly stirred at the sound of the name of the woman he loved more than his own life. "No," he replied simply, earnestly, "Something happened?"

Makarov sighed in defeat and stared at the floor. He stayed silent for a long while and Jellal waited silently on burning coals. _What happened to Erza? Where was she? Did they send someone to look for her? Was she...? No-no, that was impossible, Erza was too strong and smart to make a fatal mistake in a battle._

"She went on a mission a week ago," Master Makarov finally said, still not looking at Jellal, "And she is not back yet."

All alarms went off in Jellal's head, his heart rate increasing dangerously. "Was it an S-quest?" _If it was, it would make more sense.  
_  
"No. It was simple quest. It asked to destroy the rocks from Mountain Kanignos, to prevent them from crushing the village underneath," the elder said and finally looked up at Jellal. By then, the blue haired man knew what fate wrote for him.

"I want you to go look for her. I don't wish to upset my family, if nothing has happened after all."

Jellal nodded curtly, wishing to hide that the Master's words had slightly hurt him. _He wasn't family huh? Of course he wasn't. He was a convenient pawn for the guild's affairs._

_He deserved nothing more after all._

Jellal wordlessly turned on his heel to take his leave when the master spoke up once more.

"Get her home safe," the old man said, his tone slightly different now; softer, pleading.

"I beg of you, Jellal."

"Will do, master," Jellal said, inwardly swearing that if he couldn't bring Erza back home safely, he would allow the Council to capture him again.

With that, he vanished into thin air.

**XXXX**

**_Author's note; "kuso yarou" means something like "shitty jerk" or, most commonly translated, "asshole". _****_Also, mountain Kanignos is something I made up while writing this chapter. It doesn't exist anywhere, either in the series or in reality. _**

**Awfully short, I am aware. But it had to be done! **

**Thanks for reading! **

**- Queen.**


	3. Chapter 3

**First and foremost, I would like to say a huge "Thank you" to every single person that reviewed :) Your words made me smile!**

**Secondly, I'd like to clarify some things about this fiction right now, so that there won't be any misunderstandings in the future. The story was planned to be a short one - max 10 chapters - and this is not going to change. As it is in my head right now, I am not sure if there is something more interesting to add. The fiction is simple, not focusing so much on the plot as it does on Jellal's emotions. Blame my muse for that. **

**So, since I'm done with my rant, I present you Chapter 3! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters.**

**XXXX**

It took him one day to reach the foot of the mountain Kanignos.

It would have taken much longer if he had actually stopped to rest for the night, but no, Jellal was so anxious and worried, sleep wouldn't stick to him.

Not until he made sure Erza was fine.

On the way to Kanignos, every possible scenario about Erza's odd disappearance crossed Jellal's mind however, none of them fit logically. Erza was too smart and too strong to get stuck in any tricky situation without finding a solution.

_What the hell had happened?_

Jellal explored the periphery of the mountain, seeking for any possible signs of Erza; pieces of her armor, hair, or even blood, although the latter he truly wished he didn't find.

_Nothing. I've been searching for hours and still nothing_, Jellal thought in slight desperation and rubbed his hand over his covered face. _No_, it wasn't the right time to panic. He had something he had to do.

_Maybe I should go to the village_, he reasoned as soon as anxiety left his mind, _They should know something. Erza is really hard to miss._

It was true that Erza was hard to miss; not only because she was beautiful and had blood red hair but also because she tended to carry a whole load of suitcases with her. Jellal chuckled to himself while briskly walking to the small village. _Why she did that, he never understood._

At approximately noon, Jellal reached the Kanignos small village. The streets were empty, probably because the villagers were having lunch at their homes, however, Jellal spotted an old, grey haired man, stuffing some potatoes in a truck, grumbling something unintelligible.

Even though normally Jellal would avoid any human contact, he approached the man, clearing his throat to attract his attention. Just as expected, the man's grey head snapped at Jellal's directions, his washed blue eyes seeming irritated.

"Who 'er you?", the elder growled.

"I am sorry to interrupt you sir," Jellal said politely, bowing ever so slightly, "But I would be delighted if you give me some information that I seek."

The old man gave Jelllal a calculating, cold look from head to toe, as if deciding whether he should listen to him or not. Jellal hoped for the first option.

"Shoot," the elder rumbled in the end.

_Yosh!_ "Have you maybe come across a young, red haired female magician in your village? She came here around a week ago."

The grey haired man frowned in consideration, his eyes never leaving Jellal's. He then coughed and spat on the ground before turning his back on the blue haired man and presumed stuffing the potatoes on his truck. Jellal was ready to open his mouth and speak once more but the elder beat him to it.

"I ain't got no idea," he said, "There was s'pposed ta be a wizard ta get rid o' those rocks but I ain't saw anyone…"

"Do you perhaps know someone who knows more?" Jellal pressed, not really caring if he was being rude. He was getting a little jittery and impatient here.

Grey eyes examined him suspiciously but otherwise the man said nothing. "Ya shoulda prob'bly ask Yuuka-san. She lives on top o' tha mountain," the elder finally said, "She should know somethin'."

Jellal smiled behind his mask, even though the other couldn't see him, and nodded curtly. "I am grateful, sir. Have a nice day."

The old man yelled something as Jellal turned on his heel and started running to the mountain's peak, but the blunet ignored him.

_He had to find Erza. He didn't have time for bullshit._

**XXXX**

The spring breeze gently ruffled his coat as he ran, the birds chirped happily, the scent of the moist soil intense and overwhelming but Jellal paid no mind at those things.

_He was getting closer. He could feel it._

_He could feel her._

He didn't know how it happened but as soon as he started approaching the top of Kanignos, his senses were tingling at the familiar sensation of Erza's presence. Although he wasn't sure where she was exactly, he was certain that he could feel her fluctuating and strong magic power in the air.

It was soothing, calming, just like whenever she was around him in flesh. Erza never changed no matter what; she was always a kind and gentle soul, her aura embracing Jellal's broken heart, comforting it. Sometimes he wished he could just grab her in his arms and…

_It is not the right time for this, Jellal_, he chided himself acidly and continued running.

A few minutes racing between tall trees and suddenly Jellal found himself in a field; a long, acres long area, filled with fruit and vegetables and flowers, various small plants and herbs. A number of different scents assaulted his nostrils all at once, making him sway in place.

Erza's presence had begun blinking like a neon fuchsia light by now.

_Where was she?_

Brown eyes scanned the area carefully until they stumbled on a small house on the other side of the field. _That had to be Yuuka-san's house._

Briskly, anxiously, the blue haired man started walking towards the graphic building, his eyes adjusting and focusing on a slim silhouette kneeling on the ground and picking up some herbs. As soon as the image settled in his brain, he halted in his tracks, his heart rate skyrocketing, leaping for heaven.

_There she was._

The slim figure he had seen earlier was clearly Erza. Even from afar, her long red hair stood out like fireworks as it was gently waving in the air in sync with the wind. Jellal slowly approached her, realizing that the same smile he knew so well was adorning her face.

His heart hammered inside his chest, his breathing was growing irregular, even his knees were trembling in each step he took closer to her. _Damn. It was pathetic! Suck it up, Jellal!  
_  
The red haired woman had apparently heard his quiet footsteps and she raised her head to see who was coming. When their eyes locked, Jellal felt all of his insides and accumulate at his feet in the liquid form, his voice long lost and unable to be found.

Erza simply smiled at him and sent him to heaven again.

"Hello," she greeted politely, the sound of her soothing voice wrapping around him in a caress, "How can I help you, sir?"

At that Jellal frowned, staring at the woman, baffled. _Sir? Since when Erza called him 'sir'?  
_  
"Erza," he said quietly, his body shaking from intensity and uneasiness, "It's me."

Erza cocked her head to the side, examining the blue haired man in detail. Jellal felt completely naked under her dissecting gaze.

"Erza, you say?", she finally asked, standing up from where she was seated. Her eyes were wide, filled with anticipation and with an emotion Jellal had seen only once; vulnerability. His whole body instantly went rigid, a new scenario that he hadn't thought before suddenly popped in his mind.

The wind made Erza's simple white dress dance as they stayed silent, staring, each one drowning in their own musings. _Was it possible that Erza had –_

"Is that my real name?"

Jellal's eyes went wide when Erza answered his question with her words. His hand absently reached up to cover his already covered but wide open mouth, his heart nearly damn breaking his chest. However this time, it was purely because of the shock he was experiencing.

_Amnesia. What a fucking déjà vu._

**XXXX**

**Well, shit huh? The roles are now reversed. To be honest, it's been quite a while since I've watched Fairy Tail, so I'd completely forgotten that Jellal once had amnesia. I hope you don't mind. **

**Thanks again for reading! Can I have a review?**

**Queen.**


	4. Chapter 4

**My muse is on crack, there is no other explanation. I keep writing and writing and it never ends. **

**A big "Thank you" to all the people that reviewed. You guys give me the energy to continue! I really hope you like this one too! **

**Disclaimer; I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. **

**XXXX**

"Is that my real name?"

Jellal was lost; Erza... _Shit._ He shifted on his feet, glancing nervously around, waiting for someone to bust out and yell, "You just got punk'd!" but unfortunately nobody did, no matter how long he waited. At last, he fixated his gaze on Erza's baffled face and opened his mouth to speak.

"How did this-"

"Ara, ara!", a soft voice exclaimed enthusiastically, cutting Jellal mid-sentence. Both him and Erza jumped in astonishment, breaking their intense eye contact to look at the old, white haired lady that had just emerged from the house.

"Ojo-chan," the woman politely addressed to Erza, a big grin grin wrinkling the corners of her eyes, "A friend of yours?"

Erza shrugged her shoulders and glanced back at Jellal, her eyes searching, examining. _She looked lost, desperate._ It made Jellal's stomach churn uncomfortably.

"I don't know," she muttered in the end, "I can't remember."

Jellal could no longer find his voice to speak. All he could do was to alternate his gaze between Erza and the old lady.

The white haired woman chuckled. "You seem shocked, young man," she said, motioning towards her house, "Why don't you come in and have a tea with us? I think I can give you the answers that you seek."

Jellal glanced at Erza then back at the old lady before he nodded curtly.

_They sure had a lot of things to explain._

**XXXX**

They were seated in the small living room, Jellal's eyes anxiously scanning the place, not knowing what else to do. He was nervous even though the atmosphere in house was everything but tense. Small, cozy. It also had this scent of familiarity, of warmness, much like the aura the old lady was giving off.

"Dear," the kind woman turned to Erza, gently touching her arm, "Would you be ever so kind to prepare the tea for the three of us?"

Erza simply smiled and nodded. "Of course, Yuuka-san."

_Ah, so she was the Yuuka woman he had to find_. Jellal wanted to chuckle humorlessly. _She certainly knew something alright_.

Erza gave Jellal a brief, unreadable glance before she skidded briskly towards the kitchen, leaving both him and Yuuka-san alone. Now the old lady's blue eyes were focused on him solely, her gaze carefree but also serious.

"So," she began, while sitting across Jellal, "You know Erza-chan pretty well, since you are calling her by her first name."

Jellal stared at his crossed legs and pressed his lips into a thin line before he spoke again. "She's... She's an acquaintance of mine," he muttered in the end. The woman chuckled and shook her head.

"Somehow I don't believe it," she said, her blue eyes gleaming in amusement, "But I am not going to force answers out of you."

_How was it so easy for women to see right through his lies? In the Tower of Heaven, he'd manipulated thousands of people into believing ... Whatever he wanted them to believe yet... Ugh, it was not the right time for this. _

Jellal nodded in understanding, staying silent in favor for the old lady to continue with explaining the situation.

"So," she said, "You wish to know what happened?"

"It'd be nice."

Yuuka-san took a deep breath before she began. "I was going to the river a few days when I suddenly saw a young woman laying unconscious on the ground. She had pretty deep cuts on her head and legs so I carried her home and gave her first aid."

Jellal was speechless, staring at the woman before him as if she had sprouted another head. _Cuts?!__ Erza got hurt? Holy_ _cow_! His stomach was enthusiastically complaining by now, jumping and twirling all over the place. He felt cold sweat running down his spine, his breathing accelerating but then something suddenly popped in his mind, delaying the upcoming panic attack.

_Wait a second. What did the old lady mean by "cuts"? He couldn't see any cuts on Erza!_

Then again, he had only seen her only from afar.

"That girl's wounds healed in no time," the elderly continued, answering Jellal's question, "I've never seen something like that." She laughed merrily before continued. "She must have hit her head pretty bad because since then, she cannot remember anything. That's why she's been staying with me."

Jellal nodded, not really knowing what else to say. His mind worked a hundred miles per hour, his emotions contradictory. _Okay, he'd found Erza and he was relieved that she was relatively unharmed. Did the fact that she had amnesia matter a lot?_

_Of course it does_, _idiot_, he chided in his mind, _She can't remember a freaking thing!_

"Is there a reason you hide your face, young man?", Yuuka-san suddenly asked, snapping Jellal out of his inner mutterings. He frowned.

"To avoid unwanted attention," Jellal explained simply. The woman smiled. For some strange reason, Jellal felt that she understood exactly what he meant.

It soothed him in a way.

"There is nothing to be afraid of here," she assured him, "You can show us your face and be at ease."

Her words warmed Jellal's heart, making him smile behind his mouth cloth. Nodding in agreement, he reached for the green cap on his head and took it off then pulled the piece around his mouth lower, so that it rested around his neck. Yuuka-san grinned at him.

"There you go. That's much better," she said, "You're such a handsome young man."

Jellal would have chuckled subtly, he would have thanked the old woman for her complement had not a loud clattering sound coming from the entrance of the kitchen attract his attention. His whole body went stiff all over again as he stared at Erza's wide, terrified eyes boring holes into his. What was more shocking was the fact that she was shaking; her hands, her knees, her lips.

Jellal found himself on his feet before his mind caught up with his body. He carefully walked close to Erza, resting his hands on her shoulders. She kept staring at him in agony, she kept shaking.

"Erza?", he called, far from simply worried.

Erza's hands reached out and clasped his shirt, making his heart rate skyrocket. _What was happening? Why was she acting like this? Had she remembered something?_

"Erza," he said more firmly, just when he noticed her eyes had started losing focus, "Erza, look at me."

_Shit, shit, shit! Look at me, look at me damn it!_

"J-J... Jellal..."

That was all she said before her eyes went blank and rolled at the back of her head.

**XXXX**

**Uwah, the story is on repeat again. But now it's Erza's turn...**

**Anyway, I hope you liked it and thanks again for reading! Can I have a review please?**

**- Queen. **


	5. Chapter 5

**This story is progressing so fast... And this is what I call an inspiring couple. **

**Here's chapter five! Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tai or any of the characters.**

**XXXX**

The moon was shining bright in the center of the sky, faintly illuminating the small room Jellal found himself into. The dim light spread across Erza's sleeping face, showing her skin even paler than it normally was but none less beautiful. Her red hair fanned on the white sheets like endless strands of silk, her full lips parted as she breathed slowly, her cheeks rosy and her eyelids trembling.

Jellal would have normally been breathless from the sight, his heart would have been tap dancing on his tongue but right now, his body and mind ached by one single emotion; concern. He was so stressed out about Erza's health that even if a meteorite fell and destroyed Earthland, he wouldn't notice.

After Erza went out like a light in the afternoon, she'd stayed pretty much asleep the whole time. _And it was midnight already_, Jellal mused and hugged his knees close to his chest. He was sitting right next to where she was laying, his back resting against the wall. _If it wasn't for the wall, he wouldn't be able to even sit properly_. Still, he was jittery for the sake of the woman he loved, wondering when she was going to open her brown eyes to him once more.

There was also something else that bothered him at the back of his mind. It was what Erza muttered before she passed out.

_She had said his name. Did that mean she remembered?_ Jellal sighed in defeat; the anticipation was killing him. _Patience_. _He would find out when she woke up._

But... But it never failed to make his heart leap for heaven whenever his name rolled out of her mouth, wrapping around him like a sensual caress. It made chills racing all the way up and down his spine. He had a love-hate relationship with that feeling; he loved how he initially felt but when his heart crushed down in the pits of hell at the reminder that Erza could never be his... Then it sucked.

At that moment, the door cracked slightly open, and Yuuka-san peaked at Jellal without entering."Jellal-kun," she said, "Would you like to eat something?"

"No, thank you," Jellal replied politely, shaking his head.

The elder sighed. "This is not healthy. You have to at least eat something."

Jellal looked down at Erza's face, the lump on his throat growing bigger. "I won't leave," he croaked and cleared his throat, "I won't leave her side until she wakes up."

There was a long while of silence before the old lady spoke again. _Jellal had thought she had left for good.  
_  
"You really love her, don't you?"

Jellal's head snapped up and he stared at the smiling old lady in astonishment._ He... He never thought it was so obvious..._ He didn't answer the question; he simply shrugged his shoulders and went back to staring at the floor.

"She's lucky to have someone that loves her as much as you do."

Jellal chuckled dryly at that. _Yeah. Right_. "I do not deserve to be anywhere near her. At least not after what I did to her."

"What did you do?", the woman asked, this time entering the room and closing the door behind her.

Jellal shook his head in his attempt to shake away all the demons from the past. "It is a long, painful story I'd rather not tell."

Thick silence nestled between him and Yuuka-san but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable. For some reason, this old lady made Jellal feel at ease, she made him open up. He felt as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. _He didn't know where this was coming from. Maybe it was the white haired woman's kind smile._

"Well," she finally sighed as she opened the Erza's door once again to leave. "Just remember that Kami loves even the sinners." She turned her thin neck and stared intensely at him, "Especially the ones who have regretted their mistakes."

The door closed behind her but Jellal remained staring wide eyed at the door. It was not that he hadn't heard something like that before - Meldy could become quite obnoxious with her persistency sometimes - but it was the first time he actually felt that it could be true.

He shook his head. _What the hell was wrong with him? Even if he died, he would never be able to atone for the sins he'd done._

**XXXX**

_Was he dreaming?_

Jellal felt warm, really warm.

But it wasn't uncomfortable. It was a rather welcome heat.

Something smelled good, familiar. Like the earth's soil, right after the rain. It was soothing, comforting.

His head was laying on something soft - maybe a pillow - as the spring breeze ruffled carelessly the blue locks on top of his head.

Jellal sighed in contentment. _It was so relaxing_.

He hadn't had such a nice dream in a long time. _Please, don't let it end. _

There was a small sound coming from afar. It sound like... _A chuckle?_ Jellal frowned in his sleep, slowly coming back to consciousness but still not fully awake yet.

_No! No! He didn't want to wake up!_

He snuggled closer to his soft pillow and muttered something unintelligible, forcing himself to go back to the peaceful dream.

The chuckle was back again and the air passing through his hair started to feel somehow odd.

_What the hell was going on?_

This time, Jellal obliged himself to wake up. He tried to open his eyes but he wasn't very successful the first time, so he tried again. The second time, he managed to register something white in his periphery.

_The odd breeze was still running through his hair, feeling heavier that before, warmer_.

Frowning, confused beyond belief, Jellal blinked a couple of times, drinking in his surroundings. _Okay,_ he mused, _I am in Erza's room but where the hell... Oh no..._

Jellal craned his neck towards the ceiling, praying that he wouldn't face what he wished not to face.

_Karma was a bitch, yeah?_

Erza's smiling face came into view, her brown eyes shimmering with amusement and affection as she gently entwined her long fingers with his hair.

"Good morning, sleepy head," she crooned, her voice still hoarse from sleep.

Jellal instantly shot up from her lap - where he was apparently sleeping on - so fast he had a moment of vertigo. The room spun around him for a few seconds, Erza's hand in his hair long gone and next to her other hand in her now empty lap.

"I-I...", he croaked nervously and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

Erza chuckled. "For what?"

"For sleeping on you."

She shrugged with a teasing grin. _It made his heart clang painfully in his chest. Kami, she was so beautiful when she smiled like this._

"It's fine," she said, "You kept me warm."

It was Jellal's turn to crack a small smile at her comment, however, internally he was stomping on that tiny little flower of hope that tried to bloom in his chest. _Stupid, fucking idiot!_, he cursed, _Die down!_

Erza didn't say anything for a while after this, simply staring at him. The blue haired man felt anxious all of a sudden, her piercing gaze going right through him as if she wanted to read his mind.

It was Jellal who broke the silence. Suspense was killing him. "So... Did you... Remember something?"

A variety of emotions crossed Erza's face but in the end she frowned and sighed in defeat. "No. Nothing."

All the nerves clamped down on Jellal's stomach again. He hadn't eaten anything yet but he still felt sick, like he wanted to throw up.

"But...", she continued, "I remember you, Jellal."

As soon as these words left Erza's mouth, every one of the previous emotions turned all at once at the completely opposite side. Jellal couldn't speak, hell he couldn't breath. His blood was roaring in his ears so loudly, his heart rate had reached dangerous intensities and all he could do was stare at Erza as if she had just discovered the cure to the common flu.

"Y-You remember me?", he stuttered as soon as he found his voice.

Erza smiled weakly at him. "I don't remember who you are or what your relationship with me is... I just know you are Jellal." She stared off to the side, her cheeks growing a bit red when she continued.

"I feel... I feel something so strong when I look at your face. I don't know what it is but... I feel like I know you my whole life." Her blush deepened a few shades and she laughed nervously, glancing at Jellal with the corner of her eye.

"I feel safe. You know, when you are here."

It had to be a dream, there was no other explanation. There was not any other possible reason for what he was hearing. Jellal pinched his arm harshly, flinching slightly from the pain it caused him. _No. It wasn't supposed to hurt!_ It was... It was... He was...-

"Jellal?", Erza said urgently, her hand cupping his cheek, "Jellal, are you okay?"

The blunet shook his head, to clear it from the overwhelming emotions. "Yeah," he muttered, "I'm fine."

Erza leaned closer to study his face. "You look pale."

Jellal thought he would die from a heart attack. Indeed, his heart was racing like a marathon runner in his chest; damn, Erza was so close, he could practically taste her, her hand on his face so soft and tender and warm and... _It was distracting the hell out of him.  
_  
"I am okay," he assured her. He gently placed his own hand on top of hers and removed it from his face, allowing her to pull it away and position it back in her lap. "You just caught me a little off guard, that's all."

She smiled at him and he couldn't fight the subtle stretch of his own mouth. "Sorry," she apologized,"Maybe amnesia made me a blunter person."

Jellal laughed quietly at that. "Nope, you are always blunt and speaking whatever is in your mind. That's what makes you so special."

Erza blushed and she opened her mouth to say something, however she was interrupted just when the door of her room slammed open, revealing an ever smiling Yuuka-san.

"Erza-chan!", she chirped enthusiastically, "You're awake!" Her blue eyes slid onto Jellal and her grin widened, "Good morning Jellal-kun."

"Good morning."

The white haired woman clapped her hands. "Great! Now come on, I've made breakfast for all of us!"

Jellal followed the joyous old woman with Erza walking by his side, glancing at him more than just once in a while. Jellal was doing the same thing, not really able to tear his eyes away from her, his face growing hot whenever their gazes met. What was driving him insane with want though was the fact that she blushed as well.

_Damn! Erza was suddenly so open with her emotions, just like back then when they were kids_.

It wasn't that her gazes gave any indication that she wanted him or anything, but they were questioning and shy and hesitant, which was so entirely cute that Jellal just wanted to grab her and-

"Here you go," Yuuka-san said when she placed a large plate filled with fruits from her garden. "Enjoy!"

Erza muttered a polite 'thank you' before she reached out for the first bit presented in front of her. A peach, a simple piece of peach and that had Jellal's hand lunging forward to stop her.

"No," he said nervously after he realized how impulsively he acted. Erza gave him an puzzled stare, unnerving him even more. He frowned and scratched the back of his head.

"Y-you're allergic to peaches," he mumbled quietly, "You get rashes."

With the corner of his eye he saw Erza blush and stare at the floor. "I-I didn't know... I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize silly," Jellal scolded playfully, yet still very much nervous.

"Thanks... For saving me," Erza muttered under her breath and if there was another sound in the room, he wouldn't have heard her. Jellal felt his face grow hot and he averted his gaze to the floor.

"It's... It's okay."

There was a small chuckle that attracted both of their attentions. Yuuka-san was readjusting her handbag on her shoulders while she smiled brightly at them.

"You two have a lot to talk about," she said, "Luckily, I have to go and buy some meat from the village so I'll be back during the night. Take your time."

With that, the white haired woman exited the house, leaving them alone and uncomfortable. There was tension between them, Jellal could sense it and Erza wouldn't meet his eyes like she normally did. They remained silent while eating their breakfast, not daring to even look at each other.

_Yeah. They had a lot to talk about._

_But where do they start from?_

**XXXX**

**Jellal's emotional fluctuations are giving me a whiplash. But I don't really care since it makes him extra interesting.**

**Also, Erza's allergy is 100% made up, yes?**

**I hope you liked it.**

**- Queen. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Waah, here's some more love. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer; I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters.**

**XXXX**

Jellal tightly wrapped the small piece of paper around the messenger bird's leg, his eyes absently following it as it flew away to the headquarters of Fairy Tail.

_Erza is fine. I shall bring her back the soonest possible._

Jellal couldn't bring himself to tell master Makarov that Erza had hit her head, let alone that she was suffering from amnesia. He knew that his actions were selfish and innapropriate but he had promised to bring Erza back safely. _Erza was not safe just yet. _

Just when he lost the bird from his sight, he sat down on the grass and stared at the beautiful sunset.

It was so peaceful up there; there were no people, the air was fresh and clean, the scenery was breathtaking as well... Jellal was seriously contemplating to stay with Yuuka-san after he solved the current issue bothering his mind...

_Erza._ He and the red haired woman were supposed to be 'talking', however they had done nothing more but being uncomfortably silent the whole day. What unsettled Jellal the most wasn't the awkward silences but Erza's weird behavior; the woman wouldn't meet his eyes whenever Jellal tried to talk to her and when their eyes did lock, she would blush and avert her gaze, shying away in the kitchen to cook or make tea. Jellal rubbed his hand over his face; it was frustrating and it had started to freak him out. It wasn't like Erza to act this way and the blunet couldn't figure out why.

_Did amnesia change one's character? It could be an explanation. _

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear the soft footsteps approaching until another person's presence appeared by his side. Jellal jumped a little in surprise when Erza, wrapped in a large and thick, purple blanket, took a seat right next to him. She wasn't even looking at him but he already knew that her mind was occupied.

"It is spring already, yet it's still a little chilly outside," she said quietly, hugging her knees to her chest.

It took Jellal several seconds to understand what she was talking about, but once he did, he nodded in reply and glanced back at the sunset. The sun was deeper down between the mountains.

"Aren't you cold?", Erza asked once more.

"No," Jellal answered earnestly. Even though he was in a plain midnight blue tee and a pair of black trousers – courtesy of Yuuka-san – he couldn't feel any cold.

_Erza's presence so close to him wasn't warming up only his soul but his body as well_.

"I saw you sending a message bird."

Jellal glanced sideways at the redhead to see her still staring intensely at the sunset.

"Yeah," he mumbled lamely. _God, Jellal, get a grip_.

"To tell people who know me that I am okay?", she continued.

_Erza was always so sharp_. Jellal cracked a small smile at his thoughts. _Always expect Erza to read right through any situation.  
_  
"Yeah," he answered again, out of words to say.

Erza smiled a little and hummed. "I see."

See? This was what Jellal was talking about. Whenever there was a small hope of starting a conversation about her past and memories, Erza would always give a vague answer like, "I see," or "So that's how it is," or "Okay".

It was driving him nuts.

Biting the inside of his cheek to keep his mouth closed and his temper cool, Jellal let out a long sigh of frustration, tugging his blue locks with one hand, turning to face Erza head on in the end.

"Why aren't you asking anything?", he said with a little more heat than he intended to.

Erza looked at him in confusion. "About what?"

Jellal snorted derisively. "About your past, maybe? To whom I sent that message? Aren't you interested at all?"

"I am interested," she muttered quietly after a long while of silence. She hugged her long legs closer to her body, placing her chin on top of her knees.

"But, what is the point of learning if I can't remember? It will only confuse me more."

Jellal blinked at her, caught all the way off guard by her answer. All of the previous heat had completely evaporated only to be replaced by mortification. He chuckled lowly to himself, and hung his head, shaking it.

"You're right." _As always_.

They stayed silent for a few minutes that felt like hours to Jellal, but Erza decided to change it.

"So," she started timidly, "Are these people, like, my family?"

Jellal chanced a glance at her with the corner of his eyes. "Yes, they are. They are your comrades."

"Comrades?" She was looking at him now, her brown eyes wide and round in anticipation. _She was so cute_. Jellal smiled unconsciously.

"Yeah," he confirmed, nodding with his head as well, "You are a member of a magic guild called Fairy Tail. It is the strongest guild in Magnolia."

Her eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope."

"So," she continued, her red brows pulled together in consideration, "I'm... I'm, like, a magician?"

"A very, very strong one. If not the strongest magician of Fairy Tail, then certainly one of the strongest," Jellal answered, his chest filling with pride. She licked her lips and nodded.

"One time," Jellal then added, "You even defeated a hundred monsters all by yourself."

"Okay, now you're joking," she exclaimed between chuckles.

Jellal shook his head negatively. "No, I'm not joking at all. You can ask anybody in Magnolia and they'll know about the great Erza Scarlet and her victory in the Pandemonium."

"But..." Erza muttered skeptically, "I'm... I can't quite believe it."

"Why not?"

She shifted nervously and bit her lip. It was obvious that she was trying to find the correct words to express her point so Jellal waited.

"I'm... I'm a very normal person," she finally said, "I mean, do I look like Terminator?"

Jellal grinned broadly. _Indeed, the picture of Erza as Terminator was pretty amusing_.

"You don't have to be big and muscular in order to be strong, Erza. True strength comes from the heart," he assured confidently, patting the spot over his heart, "You're the one who taught me that."

Erza's face got so red, it nearly matched her hair. She averted her gaze and stared down at the green grass, fiddling it with her fingers, the sight so adorable that made Jellal's grin widen and his heart flutter._  
_

"S-So," she stuttered cutely, "You're a part of the guild too? Are we comrades too?"

Jellal's smile faltered a little until in disappeared completely. He dreaded that part of the question from the bottom of his soul.

_Should he tell Erza the truth or lie to her, in order not to upset her with their shared, painful past_?

_No. The truth was always the best option._

"No, I'm not," he finally said.

She quirked one questioning eyebrow. "So, what are you to me?"

Jellal stared at her big, brown eyes filled with hope and expectation, his heart breaking inside his chest. _We are supposed to be friends. We share a common past but at some point I fucked up, I hurt you and I always hope you would simply hate me or kill me, but you always come back smiling and saying that it wasn't my fault. You say it was Zeref's fault that possessed me._

_You're the woman I am desperately in love with. The woman I want to embrace and keep you as a prisoner in my arms for the rest of my life. But I don't deserve to be anywhere near you..._

That's what he wanted to say. However, what he actually said was a little disappointing.

"I'm just a distant acquaintance."

Erza stared at him for a long time, her face unreadable but her eyes were penetrating. Jellal squirmed uncomfortably and averted his own, settling them on the mountains in the horizon. The sun had completely set.

"You're a lousy liar," Erza chuckled and shook her head, "But I will not press you any more if you don't want to talk about it."

For one time, Jellal was grateful that Erza could read him so easily. It took the weight off his shoulders.

They didn't speak after that, each one lost in their own thoughts. Although Jellal desperately wanted to catch a glimpse in the woman's brain, he doubted that he would be able to see anything. Erza was always so in control of her emotions and thoughts. Very few times had Jellal ever seen her lose control and they were all because of him. He shivered at the memory.

Bitterness filled his mouth, his mood darkening significantly, however, when a warm body shifted closer to him, all of them were washed away and replaced by pure shock. _What the hell was Erza doing?  
_  
"It is getting chiller," she muttered under her breath, not quite looking at him, "We can share my blanket if you want." She held out the one end of her purple blanket and waited for Jellal to pick it up. However, Jellal was confused; he didn't understand what Erza was talking about. _Probably, their proximity had fried his brains._

"Aren't you cold? You shivered before," she pressed, nudging his shoulder but still not quite looking at him.

It slowly dawned to Jellal and he blushed in embarrassment. _He hadn't shivered because he was cold... But anyway... _

"U-Uh, yeah," he stuttered, accepting her offer, "I am."

At that point, he knew he had made a mistake. He accepted Erza's offer to share her blanket, like they used to do back in the years of slavery, without thinking about the consequences it would have on him. As soon as he threw it over his shoulder, Erza's sweet scent filled his olfactory bulbs, overwhelming him and hazing his mind. Not only that, but now that their bodies were so close to each other they were touching, the warmth from Erza's skin was seeping through his pores like liquid fire.

_Yeah, he definitely wasn't cold anymore!_

He didn't dare to look at her, nor did she dare to at him either. They were silent, both staring off to different directions, waiting for the other to speak.

It was Erza who spoke first. "Tell me more stories about my comrades."

Jellal smiled and took a deep breath. He was so relieved. Erza was acting normally again.

**XXXX  
**  
A wave of familiarity filled Erza while she listened to Jellal speaking about some people called Natsu, Gray, Lucy and Wendy. She could feel her heart swell with love and affection, her subconscious prodding persistently that these people were important to her.

_She couldn't remember any of them. Frustrating._

She was sure that she knew all of these people that Jellal was talking about, unfortunately their identities were still a mystery to her. Hell, her whole existence didn't make sense after all.

Only _he_ made sense. Jellal.

Jellal was the only person she remembered, the only person who she was sure she knew her whole life. Of course she hadn't believed him when he said they were acquaintances because one does not feel so safe, so at ease when they are around one mere acquaintance.

Erza was positive that something bad had happened between her and the blue haired man. Jellal had such a hateful aura surrounding him, but all this hate was only directed to himself, not anyone else. There was also that look in his eyes; that look of longing for some affection, for some comfort. It killed her to see him suffering like that. She wished she could do something to ease his pain. No matter what he did in the past, she didn't hate him.

_She couldn't._

And why was that? Because she loved him. She loved him like a friend and a comrade but she was also in love with him. There were no more doubts in Erza's head; her heart rates would reach dangerous intensities whenever his beautiful brown eyes looked at her, or whenever he was close to her. Much like right now.

Jellal's voice was hypnotic; deep, quiet and calm and in combination with his comfortable, masculine scent, it was making Erza dizzy. The only thing she wanted was to be pulled into his strong arms and stay there for the rest of her life.

Her lids felt droopy, her body giving out despite her will to stay awake and listen to the bluenet talk. She soon found herself leaning against his shoulder too. Jellal's whole body stiffened once she touched him, making her smile the tiniest bit.

_He was so cute when he reacted like this._

"Erza?", he asked, his tone silent but urgent.

However, she didn't answer his callings. She simply snuggled closer to him, wrapping her hands around his body and evened out her breathing. It didn't matter that Jellal was stiff and cautious like a feline about to strike.

_She would be sleeping so peacefully that night._

She registered the body next to her relax at some point while Jellal's thick arms pulled her closer to his body. Jellal apparently buried his face into her hair and kissed her head affectionately, making her heart throb in her chest. Before she dozed off completely she vaguely heard Jellal mumble something about love and himself. _What was that?_ It sounded somehow important.

_It didn't matter. She would ask him more things when she woke up._

**XXXX  
**  
He was such a coward. All the words he was supposed to be saying to Erza when she was awake, would only pour out of his mouth when Erza was asleep.

"I love you so much I don't know what to do with myself anymore," was what he had muttered in her hair.

Still, Jellal felt like he was walking on a cloud. He knew he didn't deserve to be so happy or hold Erza in his arms so selfishly however, he could be allowed a moment of bliss once in a blue moon.

Erza's presence was so warm and comforting and although it woke up several parts of his body, he wouldn't let go. He embraced her tighter, the overwhelming love and need for her leaving him breathless.

_How would he ever live without her?_

"Ah, what a beautiful sight," a soft voice murmured from behind, making Jellal jump in astonishment. He craned his neck and came face to face with Yuuka-san, who was smiling brightly at them, her blue eyes shimmering in affection.

_He hadn't even heard her coming!_

Jellal started to panic a little inside. "Er, uh, I-I didn't... I mean, Erza fell asleep and I was just..."

"You don't need my permission to embrace the woman you love, Jellal-kun," said the kind woman, "Just don't stay too long outside, you may catch a cold."

Dumbfounded and shocked by the answer he received, Jellal muttered a soft, "Okay."

He stared at her retreating back as the old lady stepped into the house but then, he went back to Erza. It felt nice and Jellal didn't want it to end but Yuuka-san was right; they should go inside. He didn't want Erza to get sick.

He carried her in his arms bridal style, all the way into the house and carefully tucked her into her bed. Before he left her side, however, he spent some quality time staring at her sleeping face. _She was so beautiful, even when she slept.  
_  
Leaning in closer, he felt tempted to kiss her lips, but he couldn't bring himself to harass the red haired woman in her sleep. Therefore he settled with kissing her forehead affectionately.

"I love you," he murmured on her skin, "I love you and I am sorry."

Closing the door behind him, Jellal hoped he would be able to catch some sleep, although he wasn't very optimistic. He hadn't slept peacefully for the past twenty years, so to say.

His heart, however, had never been lighter before in his entire, pointless existence.

**XXXX**

**I thought it'd be cool to see a tiny little bit of Erza's thoughts. **

**I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading.**

**- Queen.**


	7. Chapter 7

**So, here's the new chapter! It is time to make Jellal forget about his sin for the time being. I'll allow him to be a little selfish.**

** Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer; I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters.**

**XXXX**

_Three days later._

Time passed in a blink. One second he would wake up in the morning, he would blink once and then suddenly it was sunset once more.

Jellal knew he should be getting Erza back to her family but, right now, in Yuuka-san's house, in the middle of nowhere, where the air was clean and fresh, he felt happier than he ever had before. Call him selfish if you might, but you may want to consider that for a person deprived of happiness as much as Jellal was, his actions could be justified.

He was laughing a lot too. Even when he was a child, with all the mess in the Tower of Heaven and Zeref, Jellal had never laughed so freely.

Yuuka-san was adding to that too; she a very joyful existence. She was kind and always smiling, she joked all the time about her older age, she told them stories about her past, some of them being quite uncomfortable for both Erza and Jellal. That sneaky old lady told them stories about how she had fallen in love when she was at their age or so.

_She had set her mind on getting Jellal and Erza together. Jellal could see it in her eyes_.

She stuck to her guns strictly and loyally. The elder made them do things together all the time; fix the floor, water the plants, gather the new harvest, cook, clean, everything. Once, she had the potential lovebirds bake cookies for the village's festival, which took place in the nearest future. Yuuka-san was invited as the sweets cater of the whole festival.

_That hadn't ended up as expected_. Sure, it had started normally, with him and Erza reading the recipe and acting accordingly, chatting and laughing the whole time. At some point though, they started arguing on how much sugar they should mix with the rest of the ingredients and Erza, agitated by Jellal's stubbornness on two cups of sugar instead of four, she grasped some of the white crystals in her hands and threw it in Jellal's face.

_That had started a war. In the kitchen_.

As a reflex, Jellal answered with a handful of flour that went directly onto Erza's red hair and face, some of it even littered her clothes with white splotches. Push came to shove and soon they found themselves on the floor, with Jellal straddling Erza's writhing hips, fruitlessly trying to pine her hands down so that she'd stop hitting him with the rubber spatula. That was how Yuuka-san found them, rolling around, covered in flour and sugar and the kitchen in a big fat mess.

_Of course she made them clean it, after they all had a few laughs._

It felt so natural being with Erza like this. Jellal felt as if it was meant to be, that they were meant for each other. Just the memory of her soft, warm body, her flushed cheeks from the effort of fighting him had Jellal shiver from his core to the tips of his hair.

In the middle of his happiness, however, stood his sin, high and solid. The biggest burden of his life. The burden that didn't allow him to feel. _He of all people didn't deserve to be happy for too long. Now after what he'd done. _That was what he kept reminding himself.

Despite his ever going self-hating thoughts, Erza was a lot looser around him; after that night they "slept" together in front of the sunset, the red haired beauty became more cheerful, smiling more at him, she even giggled every once in a while. _That lovely, rare sound was like music to Jellal's ears._

The sugar however was a real fucker, especially when it stuck to the hair.

Jellal growled low in his throat as he ran his hands through his sticky blue locks. He watched as some of those white crystals fell nonchalantly on the floor beneath him, as if they were mocking him. _Damn. He really needed another bath._

He was practically alone in the house; Yuuka-san was down at the village and she'd be back the next afternoon and Erza... _Where was Erza?_ Erza was probably in her room getting ready for bed.

_Sleep sounded like a good idea. He was beat._

With long, tired groan, Jellal stood up to his feet and made his way to the large bathroom. It was peculiar that the bathing area was so big, considering that the house itself was relatively small. _It didn't matter one bit. All Jellal needed right now was to soak himself up for good and he get rid of the crust in his hair.  
_  
He opened the door to the bathroom and he was immediately assaulted by thick steam. Blue eyebrows pulled together. _Erza took a bath before him, didn't she?_ Ah, yes, right. That's why it was so steamy in there.

Discarding his clothes as soon as possible, Jellal nearly jumped into the hot water – it was more like a hot spring really – and sighed in contentment.

_Seriously. He would stay with Yuuka-san after all this mess was done. The privileges were outstanding_.

Brown eyes slid open from their bliss and Jellal blankly stared at the thick steam that danced around him. He could possibly fall asleep in that situation, alright. There was a soft sloshing sound on his left but Jellal paid it no mind, since he thought it was just him shattering the stillness of the water.

That was until a soft, familiar voice called his name from somewhere within the steam.

"Jellal?"

The sound made Jellal jump as if he was electrocuted. _No, no, no, no, no, this was impossible! How-How could...? Was he...? Was he at the tub at the same time with... Erza?!  
_  
"Erza?", he asked, praying that his ears were just being funny.

A small chuckle echoed. "Yeah, it's me."

_Aw, shit._

Jellal's face caught on fire. "I-I didn't know you were here," he stuttered, swallowing around his heart on his throat.

Erza chuckled again. "Our timing is really bad sometimes, isn't it?"

"Hn," Jellal grunted uncomfortably, not knowing what else to say. His mind however was running with thousand miles per second. _What should he do? Should he get out? No, Erza would see _him_ because he was butt naked! But-But that... That meant that Erza was also..._ Jellal eyes widened at the revelation and - if possible - he blushed even more._  
_

He crossed his arms in front of his chest and twisted his legs as well, Indian style, in his attempt to cover whatever bits of his nudity. _He was going crazy. He shouldn't think of Erza naked, he shouldn't think of Erza-_

"Can I come next to you?"

Jellal jumped again, his eyes widening at the direction Erza was supposed to be. _He still couldn't see her._ "Is-Is it really a good idea?"

"Why not?", she asked, "We are, like, friends right?"

_Friends? Friends?! There wasn't one time in my life I ever saw you as a friend and now, now that you wish to come right next to me, NAKED so to say, you'll make me- ugh!_

"Okay," Jellal agreed, biting the inside of his cheek. If he caused pain to himself, it was possible that he could stay sane. Yeah, it was a plan.

The splashing noises grew nearer and nearer but Jellal couldn't bring himself to look up from the surface of the water. _Waaah, why was this happening? Was it any form of punishment? _If it was, then it was the worst punishment he had ever endured. Even Natsu Dragneel's flaming fist on his stomach wasn't as painful as naked Erza being naked and sitting, naked, by his side._ Did he mention that she was naked?_

Erza didn't stop until she was sitting so close to him their shoulders bumped, if one of them moved slightly. Jellal felt as if he had swallowed sand, his throat was dry and it hurt like he was being constantly assaulted by needles. Erza on the other hand looked as if nothing was going on; she had leaned on the tub's wall and had her eyes closed in bliss. _Fuck, how could she act so calm and contemplated while he was on the verge of throwing up his heart?_

"You know, you don't have to be so nervous. I'm just as exposed as you are," she teased.

Jellal glared at her with the corner of his eye and hugged his knees closer to his chest. "Shut up," he mumbled petulantly. Erza chuckled and shook her head, though she said nothing further.

_Perfect. Silence was even worse._

He was sitting on burning coal and it had nothing to do with the warm water surrounding him. The awkwardness was suffocating him. He wanted to say something, however his voice,_ the damn traitor_, decided it was the right time to go for vacation. _Damn it._ Everything was going against him once again and he couldn't deal with. Also, his emotions were in the way. Normally, if there was any other girl, they would already be in the foreplay phase.

_Erza was different. Yeah. He already said that. That's why he couldn't act like he normally did. So he wasn't much of a pathetic loser, now, was he?_

"Do you want me to wash your back?", the red haired devil woman asked, shattering the silence that had fallen between them. Jellal's head snapped at her direction and gave her a shocked look. _What was she saying?_

Apparently, the offer didn't seem so outrageous to the redhead because she shrugged cooly and cocked her head to the side. "So?", she pressed.

How could she be so fucking calm, it was beyond Jellal. However, her chocolate brown eyes that were glowing with anticipation, despite her endeavor to keep a straight face, had Jellal groaning internally and finally nodding affirmatively with his head.

_He couldn't say no to her when she was looking at him like that._

_Ugh, who the fuck was he fooling? He was already dying with excitement at the prospect of her touching him!_

The water splashed and shifted as Erza reached for the conveniently placed wash cloth, then soaked it in water and soap. Meanwhile, Jellal was staring at the swirling water, his face beat red, his gut fluttering as if someone had disturbed the nest with the butterflies. _Erza was going to touch him, rather intimately if you wanted his opinion. Like, the lovers were supposed to... to-  
_  
At that moment, the cleaning rag that hesitantly connected with his back brought his thoughts into a screeching halt. Erza's touches were soft as she worked in circular motion across his shoulders, massaging the firm muscles she found there. Jellal's eyes rolled shut and he hung his head, surrendering to her ministrations. _For someone oozing so much raw power like Erza, it was somehow surprising to be so tender when it came to small things.  
_  
"Feel good?", she asked sweetly.

Jellal nodded, trying not to drool as all the muscles on his back had turned into play-doh, "Yeah."

There was a chuckle but no comment from Erza's side. Neither Jellal said something, not that he was able to, but nevermind.

Then it happened. Then shit got real.

Suddenly Erza leaned closer, her hands leaving Jellal's back as they reached over the blunet's shoulders and towards his chest. _Never-fucking-mind that_. Due to that small, innocent movement, Erza's generous breasts were now digging into his back, soft like a pillow but it was her hard nipples that made Jellal suck a harsh breath between his teeth.

"What's the matter?", Erza drawled close to his ear. Her hot breath along with her wandering hands on his pectorals made Jellal shudder violently. _Where had the fucking cloth gone?!_

"Wha-What are you doing?", he breathed.

Erza nuzzled the sensitive spot behind his ear. "I'm just washing you," she said innocently but Jellal could practically hear the sadistic amusement in her voice.

_So Erza was a sadist? She had to be_.

"I think you're d-doing more than just washing," he said sarcastically, but nonetheless breathlessly.

Erza sighed and wrapped her arms around his him, pressing closer to his over heated body. _Shit, shit, shit. This was so much more than he could ever endure!_ All of his body parts, especially his male anatomy, were reacting vigorously, pulsing along with his racing heart beat.

"Jellal," Erza whispered sensually in his ear, nearly sending him into a fit. Her hands were on the move once more, spending quality time exploring his chest.

"Please," he croaked, gripping her wrists firmly, "Stop."

"You don't like it?", she asked, her voice broken, disappointed. Jellal grit his teeth.

"No," he gritted, closing his eyes, "I really like it. But I've made a promise to myself a long time ago."

"What promise?"

Jellal swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath. _He had sworn he won't let Erza know about this promise he had made once Zeref left his body, but right now...  
_  
"I promised that I will never associate myself with you in a romantic way, simply because my presence has done nothing more but hurt you."

Erza went silent after his softly uttered statement however, her arms tightened around him. Jellal waited for her reaction with his heart jumping around in his chest and his stomach filled with butterflies.

At last, Erza sighed and began planting feathery soft kisses up and down his neck. As much as Jellal leaned into the gentle touch, her reaction unnerved him. _Didn't she listen to what he said?_ He opened his mouth to speak again but Erza beat him to it.

"Mhm," she hummed quietly, "I understand your decision but..." She trailed off in favor of softly sucking his earlobe into her mouth. Then, she blew on the wet appendage and a wild shiver wracked Jellal's whole body. _How did Erza know the art of seduction so damn well?!_

"I want you, Jellal."

**XXXX**

**Hell yeah, Jellal now burn into inferno Erza.**

**I'm so bad sometimes :P Anyways I really hope you enjoyed it. I certainly did have a lot of fun writing it!**

**Queen.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I think it is pretty much obvious what this chapter's content will be. But! Before all of you lemon lovers dig into it, let me say a few things first; **

**First and foremost, I thank every single person that reviewed. Your reviews are very helpful to me, thus very much appreciated.**

**Secondly, uuuh this is my first time writing lemon with a boy x girl - I usually write boy x boy, yeah... - so... So just be gentle, yes?**

**Anyways, enjoy the ride. I'm sure Jellal and Erza are going to enjoy it the most. **

**Disclaimer; I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters.**

**XXXX**

_This couldn't be happening... He was... He was dreaming right? Yeah, it had to be one of those wet dreams again. It was impossible to be real._

_No. It was real. It was so real and so much better than any dream he ever had._

Jellal felt hot, as if his body was set in flames. It hurt, but it was a good kind of pain; the pain that you'd never let go away if you could.

_"I want you Jellal."_

She had said it. Erza did. She had said it right into his ear, clear enough for Jellal to hear it correctly. It wasn't his ears being funny.

_She wanted him._

_Who the fuck was he to tell her no, then?_

Jellal had nodded dumbly and closed his eyes, leaning closer on her chest, giving her the permission to do as she pleased with his body. _It was hers after all. His body, his heart, his soul... Even his life was Erza's property._

Erza took one hell of an advantage of it; she touched him, she explored him with her hands, her mouth, her tongue, not missing one available surface of his over-sensitive skin. Dropping his head on her shoulder, Jellal sighed in bliss. _This was so much more than he could ever ask for. If he'd died right now, he'd die a happy man_.

Erza's lips were like lava on his neck, scorching and burning everything in their wake. The redhead scanned thoroughly the expanse of his neck, then traced a path across his jaw, growing closer to the blunet's lips. There, she stopped.

"Jellal," she said in a hushed voice, so low that if they weren't so close, Jellal wouldn't have heard her.

He understood what she wanted, she didn't have to say it out loud. Hell, it was what he wanted too, what he'd been craving for during those twenty five years of his life.

_To kiss her._

Jellal opened his eyes and sat up from Erza's comfortable embrace, maneuvering in his haze so that he was facing her. She was blushing deep red, her eyes not meeting his while she crossed her arms in front of her breasts in apprehension. Jellal smiled at her cute reaction. Erza was definitely confident enough to take the lead and seduce her man to the brink of insanity but even she could turn shy at some point.

_It was more than fine._

"C'mere," Jellal husked, but it sounded quite sexy so he forgave himself. Erza's brown eyes locked with his and, God forbid, Jellal almost combusted spontaneously. Her gaze was so hot, so intense, so full of accumulated lust, it shocked and aroused Jellal at the same time.

"Okay," she whispered before she scooted closer.

_It wasn't close enough._

Once Erza was within an arm's reach, the blue haired magician reached out with his hands and pulled her into his lap. The redhead seemed astonished by the sudden action but instantly melted into Jellal's arms and smiling down at him.

Jellal was incapable of returning that smile; he was so overwhelmed by what was happening that all he could do was to stare at the face of perfection in front of him. He even reached up to cup her cheek, to convince himself that she was real and she was there, in his arms. Erza closed her eyes and leaned into the touch, placing one of her hands on top of Jellal's.

He sucked a deep, much needed, breath through the nose. Hell, he'd forgotten he had to breathe but he really didn't want to pass out at a time like this.

Without realizing, the distance between their faces had begun to narrow up until their lips melded together and all Jellal's insides stirred. _No, fuck that_; he felt as if someone had fucking electrocuted him.

_Bloody hell._

It was innocent at first, hesitant almost, their lips simply slanting over each other but it was Erza who went and turned up the heat. Her tongue shyly traced the outline of Jellal's bottom lip, earning a sympathetic growl from the blue haired man. Allowing his carnal side to take over, Jellal angled his head to the side and thrust his tongue inside that delicious, waiting mouth. Erza moaned just a tiny bit, probably in surprise and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her hot body.

Jellal felt as if he was being burnt alive; Erza's lips responding feverently to his, her fingers interlacing with his hair and tugging, and – hell – her naked chest rubbing against his... It was all too much.

He did his own amount of touching as well. His hands left her face in favor of roaming freely over her neck, her shoulders, her back, carving every possible surface into his memory bank. Once his hands were on her breasts, Jellal was rewarded with the greatest prize; Erza jumped and pulled out of the kiss, bumping their foreheads together as she gasped for some air. Jellal spent no more time before diving into her neck, kissing and nipping the sensitive skin.

_He wanted to possess her, to spread his marks all over her body._

His mouth traveled lower, and he nipped at her protruding clavicle but that wasn't what he wanted. Pulling away the tiniest bit, Jellal's brown eyes locked on the two breasts he was holding in his hands, the only thought in his mind being _Mine!  
_  
At that moment, Erza shifted in his arms, attracting Jellal's attention back on her.

"What's the matter?", he asked, scanning her face for any kind of inconvenience or displeasure. Erza offered him a small smile and shook her head.

"You look so happy," she muttered and Jellal felt his face heat up, much more than it already was.

"I am happy," he said quietly. _Although happy doesn't adequately describe what I am feeling...  
_  
Erza leaned in and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. "So am I," she whispered before initiating another round of passionate kissing. She was aggressive and assertive, which made Jellal think that maybe... He wasn't the first time she was doing it?

_He would kill whoever had touched her before he did._

Her intense attitude was slowly rubbing onto him too, and his hands became more busy, more touchy-feely, more desperate. Jellal would begin his touches from her chest, down to her waist, from there to her ass then sliding down to her thighs, then back up only to do it again and again. Erza's body was shuddering, her own hands in a constant frenzy as well.

It was getting wilder, more passionate. The smacking sounds their lips made, the subtle sighs and moans escaping Erza's throat, it was all too much for Jellal to bear. It was unnecessary to mention that his man down town was saluting them enthusiastically by now. Erza's hand on his lower belly, rubbing meaningless circles on the taut skin didn't help the situation at all. _Damn, he wanted to get inside of her the soonest possible._

To get his point across, Jellal allowed one of his hands to wander lower on Erza's belly, reaching right on the apex between her thighs, his fingers moving in a circular motion. His member twitched with need when Erza twiched and moaned loudly, pulling away from the kiss they were sharing. Jellal grit his teeth to maintain the last remnants of his control while Erza was writhing in his arms, clasping on his shoulders and biting her lower lip.

_He couldn't take the torture any longer._

"Erza...", he breathed on her lips, making a pair of dark brown eyes to lock with his. The red haired woman nodded in understanding.

"Not here," she said breathlessly and licked her lips before speaking again, "Let's go to my room."

**XXXX  
**  
It all happened in a blur; when they got out of the tub, briefly dried out and when they landed as one on Erza's bed, he didn't realize. All he could focus on was how warm and soft Erza was underneath him while he kissed the living lights out of her, how tightly she held onto him with both her arms and legs.

Damn, there was also that stupid need for breathing, so Jellal had to briefly pulled away from her sweet mouth to catch his ran away breath. It wasn't that bad after all since he got to see the beautiful flushed face of the woman he loved. Even though it was dark, it was a night with a full moon, the subtle rays entering through the window, making Erza's face paler than usual.

"You're beautiful," Jellal muttered without realizing.

She gave him a small smile, her thumb tracing the tattoo on the right side of his face. "So are you."

Jellal ground his hips against her, nearly chewing his lower lip off when she hissed through clenched teeth and narrowed her eyes. He then slowly started thrusting against her, growling low in his throat while she moaned silently with every movement, her nails digging in his back.

"Have you..." He swallowed, willing his eyes to stay open, "Is this, like, your first time?"

"Does it matter?", Erza asked between gasps, "It is my first time with you."

Her statement – although it sounded a little odd to the small, still sane part of his brain – went directly to his groin.

Jellal kissed her chin, then licked a hot trail across her jaw, down her neck towards her chest, where he spent his time to make her scream and arch her back to him. She was so sensitive, so responsive to his touches it nearly made Jellal drown in desire.

He didn't stop there; hell, he wanted to taste every available surface on her body. The blunet traveled lower, across a quivering belly until her reached between strong, trembling thighs. He only stopped because Erza asked him to.

"Why?", he asked, clearly disappointed and impatient.

Erza blushed and averted her gaze. "I-It's... It's strange."

Jellal tongued her inner thighs, inwardly debating on whether to respect her request or do what he really wanted. Which was to taste her of course. The red haired woman was staring at him, her brown eyes gleamed and sparkled in the moonlight, filled with want and lust and something else Jellal wasn't sure he could identify.

Upon reaching her knee with his mouth, Jellal supported himself on his forearms and nodded. _A true man always respected a woman's requests, even_ he_ knew that._ "Okay," he said, "But I can touch you with my hands, can't I?"

Erza didn't speak but her eyes told him what he needed to know. Carefully, Jellal traced the invisible line between her hips, his eyes alternating between Erza's face and the apex of her thighs. He then moved slowly, testing the waters and laced his fingers with red curls before gently pressing then where he knew Erza wanted him the most, if the arching of her back and the deep, heady breath she sucked in was any indication.

Jellal became bolder, his fingers exploring her aroused sex while he kissed her inner thighs, until he slid one of them inside of her.

"Ah!", was the reward he got for his good work but Jellal was far too gone in the sensation created around his newly added fingers to care. _So fucking tight!_

"Shit...", he murmured, thrusting his fingers in and out, "I can't take it anymore."

"Then come on," Erza gritted between harsh breaths, "I want you, damn it!"

That was all she wrote. Before he realized what he was doing, Jellal was already climbing up Erza's body, kissing the life out of her. She replied by pulling his hips closer with her legs, perfectly aligning him against her entrance. Before he made any other movement though, Jellal ended the kiss to look at her.

"Erza...?"

"Hmm?"

_I love you._

"Tell me if I hurt you."

She gave him a small smile and a nod. "I know you won't."

_He was a coward. Such an awful coward._

Jellal nodded and softly kissed her once more, before slowly pressing into her. He watched her face for any kind if discomfort but all too soon his attention started to falter as he focused more of the warm, velvety heat that surrounded his erection.

_He_ _was inside of her. He was inside of Erza._

He was finally making love to the woman he was in love with for so many years.

The realization hit the bluenet so suddenly that Jellal shuddered all over and buried his face in Erza's neck. Erza was soothingly running her hands up and down his spine, the touch comforting but all Jellal wanted was to move.

"C-Can I...?", he stuttered miserably.

The redhead shifted her hips slightly, testingly before rasping a breathless, "Yes."

Everything slid back to place after that. Starting out slowly, they built up the pace until both of them were grunting and moaning like wounded animals, embracing each other tightly as if they wanted to fit into each other permanently. It felt natural, like how it was supposed to be.

Erza was moaning and sighing her bliss in his ear, which only served to drive Jellal nearly insane. His body was on fire, his brain was on fire, hell, his existence was on fire too. Only sounds seemed to be only working by this point. _Oh yeah_, and the thrusting rhythm of his hips. The bluenet held her closer, tighter.

_I love you. I love you. I love you!_

Jellal could feel his upcoming orgasm building up deep within his core as much as he could feel Erza's muscles pulsating frantically around him. _There was no point in holding it any longer. Not that he could, but anyway._

"J-Jellal!", Erza moaned, throwing her head back on the pillow, "Jellal, I...!"

"I know," he growled silently, picking up the pace, "Me too."

"Ah!", she shouted in response, repeating Jellal's name quietly like a prayer.

It was enough to throw him over the edge of the Orgasm Cliff. He was falling, falling so quirky, groaning loudly as he rode out the most intense orgasm he'd yet to experience, barely registering Erza coming as well.

_It felt so good. It felt as if he'd went for a long drive to heaven._

They fell silent after that, the room though filled with the sounds of their harsh breathing as they both tried to come down from their post-coital high.

"That...", Jellal managed to gasp, "That was amazing."

"Mmm," hummed Erza, sleepily.

More silence. But it wasn't an unnatural thing, not when it came to these two.

Their silence spoke greater than their words.

Jellal couldn't unwrap himself from her, it was impossible. The only thing he could do was to hold her closer and closer, feeling her racing heartbeat on his chest - or maybe it was his? Whatever, he didn't know or cared. All he did know was that he was genuinely happy for once and very, very sleepy. Erza's soft breathing in his ear was like a lullaby too. His eyelids started to feel droopy, closing up without his will but before he passed out, Jellal managed to utter those four words he'd been so selfishly hiding within his heart.

"I love you, Erza."

**XXXX**

***Wipes a drop of sweat* This is it people. To be totally honest, I am very happy with this lemon and I hope you liked it too. Let me know if it was okay, please. It'll help me a lot.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Queen.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Arite, time to wrap it up! I am sorry if some of you are disappointed that the story is short, however there is always a possibility of a sequel or a one shot (though do not take my words as a promise, yes?)**

**What is more, I'd first like to thank every single person that reviewed, your reviews people always make me smile. Secondly, a lot of you asked me whether Erza was a virgin or not after all. Honestly, I didn't think that her words would raise so many questions, therefore let me clarify one thing; I don't know if Erza was a virgin or not, it'd be nice and all if she was, yes, but just as she said, it doesn't matter. For God's sake, she was with the man she loved for the first time. Isn't that a tad more important? I don't know, maybe it's just me who sees it like this.**

**Anyways, enjoy chapter nine!**

**Disclaimer; I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters.**

**XXXX**

The very first sun rays slowly entered the quiet room through the window, filling it with light and warmth. Jellal was progressively slipping out of unconsciousness just when those subtle beams fell upon his closed lids.

_No. He didn't want to wake up. He had this amazing dream that he and Erza..._

There was an odd but otherwise pleasant sensation on his head, as if someone was gently petting his hair. _Ah, he loved having his hair played with._ Jellal unconsciously let out a satisfied purr and leaned into the touch. There was a small, familiar sound, a chuckle that followed his cat-like action. Willing to know where the sound was coming from, Jellal lazily cracked his eyes open only to have his until then calm heart rate reaching from 0 to 100 in less than one second.

Erza lay right next to him on their small bed, her chocolate brown eyes staring right into his own and with a small smile on her flawless face.

"Is this a dream?", he asked before he could stop himself. Erza's smile widened and she shook her head.

"No."

Jellal stared at her before a grin found its way on his face. _Not a dream huh?_ As much as he couldn't believe it, on one hand Erza never lied and on the other, there were signs on his body that proved how true last night was. _Like the soreness of his back muscles for example. _

_Last night..._ A shiver spread all over Jellal's body, shaking it violently and he had to sat up in order to gain control of his being once more.

It was exhilarating, just the mere thought of what had occurred. They had become one for the first time after so many years of loving each other like crazy. Jellal knew that Erza loved him too; if she didn't, he would be already dead by now. What he wasn't a hundred percent sure, though, was whether Erza loved him the way he did her.

_It didn't matter._ She loved him enough now to open up to him and make him happy. Because he was happy – no – he was fucking ecstatic.

Erza had sat up too and wrapped her arms around his chest. "What's the matter?", she whispered, planting a soft kiss on the back of his neck. Jellal sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair, unconsciously relaxing into her warm embrace.

"It's nothing," he assured her huskily, "I'm just a little overwhelmed."

She sighed and hugged him harder, closer to her chest. "I totally understand how you feel," she murmured.

_She did?_ Jellal highly doubted it. _But on the other hand, Erza always seem to read him like an open book, so it wasn't very surprising._

"About what you said last night...", she began after a while of silence.

"What did I say?", asked Jellal with a frown. _What was she taking about_?

"Last night... When you said you... you love me."

Jellal froze, his breath catching on his throat, his eyes widening like saucers. _He... He had really said that?_ Well, shit. In all this mess he'd already created, he went and spouted out his feelings... Erza was already confused with her memory loss and he just _had to_ be more selfish and confuse her some more! Damn! He didn't want Erza to feel obligated to return his feelings or-

"Do you mean it?", she asked, interrupting his inner, mini panic attack. Jellal craned his neck to the side and stared at her wide, round with anticipation eyes. _Shit._ He couldn't read her. He couldn't read what she wanted to hear. _Should he say yes? No? Maybe?_

After a long suffering sigh, Jellal settled with the truth. "Yes, I mean it," he muttered and then averted his gaze. "I've been in love with you ever since we were kids. B-But that doesn't mean anything. I mean you-you don't have to force yourself to respond to my feelings, I-I-"

"I love you too," she interrupted him, her face shining from the bright smile she got on. Then she added, "And I won't force myself to respond to your feelings, because I already have them. I can't make them go, even if you asked me to. Not that I want to, anyway."

Jellal stared, then blinked and then stared some more before he felt his face get engulfed in flames and his mouth falling open. _Had he heard correctly? Erza had just said that she... Ugh, he couldn't even think about it, his mind was completely switched off._ He was dying, wasn't he? He was dying and someone was making his eternal wish come true.

Erza smiled sweetly at him, obviously reading right through his contradicting emotions and chastely pecked his lips. "I can't wait for you to forgive yourself for the sins you've done. I've reached my limit."

He stared at her some more, unable to find his voice, unable to think of anything beyond what she was saying to him. How her lips moved when she spoke, how close they were, how...

_Hell._

"There is one thing that is stopping me though," she suddenly said, a small smirk lifting her lips. At that, Jellal frowned. _Why was she smiling like this?_

She chuckled, her eyes gleaming with malice. "What are you going to say to your fiancé?"

_Fiancé? What? Who the hell told her he had a fiancé? _

_He didn't have one of course, that was just one lame excuse he told her when they were at the beach..._

The realization was slow but it hit with the intensity of a lighting. Jellal's eyes widened once more, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of the water, while Erza was grinning at him in amusement.

"You remember!", he gasped, not quite able to believe it himself. Erza nodded enthusiastically.

"Yup!"

"When?", Jellal asked just as the shock started evaporating from his body.

Erza shrugged, still smirking. "I guess small fragments of my memories started to reveal themselves ever since you came and told me all of these stories," she said, "But I suppose everything really came back at me yesterday." Her smile turned somehow lecherous and she scooted closer. "They say that intense experiences awake the sleeping memories," she whispered sexily into his ear, "And what we did yesterday... Heh, that was as intense as hell on earth."

Jellal blushed at her words, rubbing the back of his head nervously. _Oh God, did he know that Erza was a sexy little beast when the urge hit her?_ It was totally unfamiliar to him but it wasn't that he wouldn't embrace it. However, he couldn't find his voice to speak - yeah Erza did that to him sometimes.

"You don't agree?", she pressed, slowly licking the shell of his ear.

"E-Er... I-I-", Jellal stuttered, still not finding his voice. _To be more presice, he couldn't find his brain, not just his_ _voice_. Erza grinned teasingly, obviously amused by the blunet's loss of words.

"You are so cute when you stutter like that," she murmured over his lips, before kissing him chastely.

"You should do it more ofter."

Fire spread throughout Jellal's body as their lips came together harder than they had before. Erza was kissing him passionately, even introducing her tongue into the intimate action and all Jellal could do was follow her lead and let himself be swept away by this magical creature he held in his arms. His body as responding once more, especially the needy man between his legs but he had to make some things clear first. With all the power of his existence, Jellal gently pushed her away.

"No," she refused and went for another kiss. However Jellal was faster and he placed his index on her lips.

"Wait," he said breathlessly, "I need to-to ask something."

With an adorably petulant pout Erza mumbled, "Go ahead."

"So, you now remember everything? Your friends, your guild?", Jellal asked with an amused smile. _She was so cute._

"Yeah."

"So... You remember our past too?", he then said, the smile long gone from his face.

Erza gave him a long, serious stare before she spoke. "Yes," she confirmed, "But, like I've told you millions of times now, I've already forgiven you Jellal. It wasn't your fault."

"Erza I'm not-"

"Shut up, Jellal!", she interrupted heatedly, "Why can't you just accept the love I'm offering you? I love you, you love me, and everybody's happy!" She huffed, glaring angrily at him. "Why do you keep doing this to us?"

Jellal was staring at her in shock. He'd never seen Erza had such a stubborn reaction before. He looked down at his lap and answered her with a nonchalant shrug. "You deserve so much more than I can ever give you."

"Then work hard from now on to give me what you think I deserve," she retorted confidently, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Jellal looked up at her once more, quirking one eyebrow. He didn't quite understand what she was talking about. No matter how hard he worked, he would never be a worthy person to stand up next to her. So he tried to convey that in a different way.

"You deserve everything and more," he said, changing his words slightly.

"Then give it to me. That's all I'm asking."

_There she goes again, confusing him, aggravating him. Why was she so persistent?_ "I can't just do that so easily, Erza. I'm not perfect. Hell, I am the person furthest away from perfect that has ever existed."

Erza sighed in defeat and once more held his face into her hands, her eyes intense and full of fire as she stared at him. "Nobody is perfect Jellal," she enunciated slowly, "But every person has the right to work hard and try to be perfect, if they want to. You are not an exception."

"You're perfect," he mumbled, his brain shutting down completely from their proximity.

She smiled lovingly. "No, I'm not. I'm really flattered that you think of me this way, but I am not perfect at all. I'm simply fighting to become stronger for the sake of the people I love."

_So there it was. He was sometimes really slow, huh?_ Jellal looked down at their entangled legs and smiled. Being perfect wasn't important at all. However, fighting to get better as a person, as a human being, that's what was important. It was what Erza was trying to tell him all this time.

_It wasn't her that didn't understand what he was saying. It was vice versa.  
_  
_It was always him that had the problem after all_.

"You're always right," he whispered and his smiled widened when Erza chuckled.

"That's not true. I just, in my own, clumsy way, try to live my life to the fullest."

_Now he remembered_. She had said that to him before, when they were at the beach, after seven years of not seeing each other. _He always forgot. He could be so dumb at times.  
_  
He loved her so much. She was his guarding angel, the force that made his world go round. She was the only reason he wanted to stay alive and fight to redeem his cursed soul.

"I love you Erza," he finally said, his throat harsh and dry from the overflowing emotions.

Erza gave him a smile that shook his existence, a smile that made him feel like be was the most important person in her world. She embraced him, crushing him closer to her body as if to become a part of him and Jellal, drunk from his emotions as he was, hugged her with just as much vigor, burying his face in her neck.

"I know," she said after a while of silence, "I love you too. Always have, always will."

_That was all he could ever ask for._

Love is not about how much you say "I love you", but how much you can prove it's true. Erza just made him realize that. _Will he ever stop learning from her?_

At that moment, Jellal swore he would spend the rest of his life trying to do just that. To prove that he loved Erza.

True love wasn't easy, but it must be fought for. Because once you find it, it can never be replaced.

_Lesson learned. _

_Thank you, Erza._

**XXXX**

**Aww, this is how it is supposed to be! I really hope that Hiro Mashima-sensei will get those two together in the end.**

**Well then, I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading.**

**Queen. **


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